Speed-wagon.



Patented-Mar. I3, 1900.

B. S. MOBDEN. SPEED WAGON.

(Application filed July 25, 1899.) (No Model.)

Jul ,1.

1' "h. MA

mine/a es FFI PATENT BISHOP S. MORDEN, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

SPEED-WAGON.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 645,509, dated March 13, 1900.

Application filed July 25,1899- Serial No. 725,084. (No model.)

' T 0% whom it may concern/.-

. Be it known that I, BISHOP S. MORDEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Speed-Wagons, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates more particularly to the light four-wheeled vehicles used for fast driving and commonly known as speedwagons. These wagons are usually provid ed with raised or arched duplex axles and comparatively small wheels having pneumatic tires.-

One of the objects of myinvention is to provide a strong and rigid connection between the spindles and the depending end portions of the duplex axle.

A further object of my invention is to render the body and the axles vertically adjustable with reference to the axle-spindles by simple means, so that the body can be adjusted to suit the height of the horse attached to the wagon, thereby enabling the same wagon to be used with different horses and avoiding the necessity of manufacturing or keeping on hand a number of wagons of different heights or sizes.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a side elevation of a speed-Wagon embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a fragmentary perspective View of one of the axles. Fig. 3 is an enlarged side elevation, partly in section, of one of the depending end portions and spindle-brackets of the axle.' Fig. 4 is a vertical section in line 4 4, Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a horizontal section in line 5 5, Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is aview similar to Fig. 3, showing a modified construction of the spindle-bracket.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts in the several figures.

D are the axle-spindles, each of which is provided at its inner end with an upwardlyextending shank d, which is secured to or formed in one piece therewith and capable of vertical adjustment in the bracket 0 for raising or lowering the body A relatively .to the axle-spindles. The spindleshank is arranged I in vertical openings or sockets ff",-forrned centrally in 'the connect-ion c and the bridgepiece 0 and secured therein by set-screws g' or other suitable fastenings, which permit a ready adjustment of the shanks inthe brackets. The spindle-shank is held against turning or, twisting in its bearings by the inner ends of the set-screws g, which enter openings or depressions g, formed inthe shank, the shank being provided with a series of such depressions to provide for different ad justments of the shank. Any other suitable means may be employed for preventing twisting of the spindle-shank" in its bracket.

Each bracket 0 may be formed or cast in one piece of malleable iron, steel, or other suitable metal.

Upon loosening the set-screws g the axlespindles can be raised or lowered in their brackets O for properly adjusting the height of the body, and after making the adjustment the spindle-shanks are firmly secured in position by tightening the set-screws. The wagon can by this means be adjusted to suit the particular-horse with which it is to be used or it can be adjusted to horses of different heights,- if the owner has a number of speeding horses. This avoids the necessity of pur chasing different wagons for different horses and also simplifies and cheapens the manufacture of the wagon, as the same need be made only in one size with a sufficient range of adjustment to adapt it to different-sized horses.

As the spindles and their shanks are sepa rate from. the axle and readily removable, they can be conveniently repaired or renewed without the necessity of removing or renewing the entire axle. My improved spindlebrackets also form a strong connection between the end portions of the axle members, which greatly increases the rigidity of the axle, whether the spindle-shanks are adjustable in said brackets or not.

In the modified construction of my invention shown in Fig. 6 the depending end portions 12 of the axle members are extended below the bridge-piece 0 so as to practically form the side-bars of the spindle-bracket, and the bridge-piece is made separate from these side-bars and brazed to the same.

It will be observed that in each of the constructions herein shown and described the downwardly-converging end portions of the duplex axle are united at their lower ends by a connection and at a distance above this connection by a bridge-piece, the connection and the bridge-piece each having a bearing, in which the spindle-shank is secured.

I claim as my invention 1. The combination with an axle provided with depending end portions or members forming the side-bars of a spindle-bracket, a connection uniting the lower ends of said sidebars, a bridge-piece connecting said side-bars above said connection, said connection and bridge-piece being provided with openings or sockets, and an axle-spindle having an upright shank which is seen red in the openings of said connection and bridge-piece, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination with an axle provided with depending end portions or membersforming the side-bars of a spindle-bracket, aconnection uniting the lower ends of said sidebars, a bridge-piece connecting said side-bars above said connection, said connection and bridge-piece being provided with openings or sockets, an axle-spindle provided at its inner end with an upright shank capable of vertical adjustment in the openings of said connection and bridge-piece, and means for adjustably securing said shank in the bracket, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination with an axle provided at its end with a depending bracket composed of downwardly-converging side-bars united at their lower ends by a transverse connection and near their upper ends by a bridgepiece, said connection and bridge-piece being formed integral with the side-bars and each provided with an opening or socket, and an axle-spindle having an upright shank which is secured in the openings of said connection and bridge-piece, substantially as set forth. I

4:. The combination with an axle composed of a pair of arched transverse tubes arranged one in front of the other, of upright brackets arranged at the ends of the axle and each composed of a pair of downwardly-converging side-bars secured at their upper ends to the depending ends of the axle-tubes, a connection uniting the lower ends of said side-bars and a bridge-piece connecting the upper portions thereof, and axle-spindles each provided at is inner end with an upwardly-extending shank which is secured in the connection and the bridge-piece of the adjacent bracket, substantially as set forth.

Witness my hand this 7th day ofJuly, 1899.

BISHOP S. MORDEN. Witnesses:

SAMUEL M. MORDEN, CARL F. GEYER. 

